The Student

Podcast Transcription

Melina: Tell me that moist doesn't give you happy...makes you happy, joy, joyful. It makes you so happy.

Tim: It makes you wanna go the gym.

Narrator: Welcome to "Flipping Off," a purpose driven podcast about flipping houses and making a difference.

Dave: Is that what happens to you, Tim?

Tim: No, not at all.

Melina: Does it make you wanna go to the gym?

Tim: Nope, no.

Dave: Doesn't, huh?

Tim: No.

Dave: All right. Well, we're in the studio. And we are in a silly mood this morning.

Melina: So awesome.

Tim: So silly. Awesome.

Dave: Tim has been the brunt of every joke this morning.

Melina: Just every conversation.

Dave: Yes. Every conversation, yeah, that's true. All right. So today we are...well, I got myself and Melina here, founders of New Wealth Advisors Club, along with a couple of our leadership with Tim Wilkinson and Oscar Solares. And today, we were putting Mark Weisenburger in the spotlight. And Mark Weisenburger has been a club member, and a student, and now a leader in our group for how many years, Mark?

Mark: It's going a little past six actually.

Dave: A little past six. So quite a while. And actually Oscar and Tim, it was their idea of like, "Okay, so let's profile a student that's really kind of emulated what it is that we're looking for," right, hon? I mean, every day.

Melina: Yeah. I think that Mark emulates not only who we're looking for, but he is the...yeah, he's one of the most perfect students in terms of, you know, being...already having success in his life and a whole bunch of different areas. So, you know, when people come to us and they've already had success, I think, that there is a tendency or, yeah, maybe even a risk of not being coachable, right? You come to a place where you think, "Oh, you know, I've already had success in this. I see this with a lot of people." And then they come to us and they forget that they've chosen like an entirely new career path, right?

And so just because you've had success in the past and whatever, any time you embark on anything new, you have to be open and coachable. So for me, Mark has been the guy who I look at as a very successful person in his own right, yet the most humble, open, and coachable person, which I think is a direct result of the success that he's had.

Dave: Yeah. I wanna give kudos to him because at the end of the day, when we created the idea, right, all these, you know, the seminar education that we had gone to for years, and it's always...you know, it's a seminar, you kind of check the box, you go for the weekend, you go for the one to 1-800 number, the webinar, those kind of things. You check the box, you're done, right? Then they're kind of on your own. So we created, you know, New Wealth Advisors Club.

The idea was we knew people couldn't get it right away. We knew that they were going to need ongoing education, they're gonna have to stay plugged in that it was gonna be a mindset, change that had to take place over time. It wasn't a college mentality where like, I know for me, you know, I went to college I said, "You have to take these 40 classes. When you take them, you're done," right? You get your receipt.

Melina: Right.

Dave: Or your degree, whatever you wanna call it, your bill. And so this is very different. And so we created this. The idea was, okay, so if we could create a program where people could plug in to people that are actually doing real estate. And then on an ongoing basis, see results of that same education being applied. And then it changes over time. So as the market changes, it constantly changes. And then we could write every week that we have classes or training, and we could write it to whatever it is that we're doing in that week.

And Mark was one of the first students I think back in the day who really took that to heart and saw the opportunity because...I mean, I remember looking around and just first meeting Mark. And it's like, "Hey, Mark is here again." And, "Wait, Mark is here again." "Wait, the doors haven't opened and Mark is outside again." And, you know, you were driving from...where were you living at the time, Mark?

Mark: I lived above Long Beach at that time in Downey.

Dave: Above Long Beach in Downey. So how long would it take you to get to the club on average?

Mark: If there's no traffic, like an hour and 10 minutes. If there's traffic, about three hours.

Dave: That 91, right? A little bit.

Mark: Yeah.

Melina: My gosh.

Dave: Okay. But no matter what, you were there. I think I never heard...I never saw you late, I never saw you with the excuse of, "Oh, there was traffic so I showed up late." So maybe you can share with us, like, what was the mindset that you came because you're, you know, you're not a spring chicken, right?

Mark: No.

Dave: You're retired by force as you said.

Mark: Yes.

Dave: So, you know, what was that mindset that when you came, you came looking for a real estate, and like maybe you could kind of help us understand that, maybe give some people that are out there that are maybe...whether they're contemplating, doing what it is you're doing, maybe they're already a club member, and they're up and down in their own businesses, and maybe there's a nugget that you could leave them with us to, you know, what you feel like they really need in order to have the mind shift that you've had?

Mark: Sure. Well, first of all, I'll answer the first thought you said about my always being there on time. I think that your word is all you have. To me, it doesn't matter what you say on contracts. If I give my word, I'm gonna fulfill it or I'll be home dead, one of the two. So that's just me and my thinking. The reason I showed up all the time was because in my life, it's always played out that knowledge isn't the end-all. In fact, my last business I had, I spent a lot of time with a person who mentored me in that business for free, actually volunteering my time probably for maybe six years before I ever I started building a business in that technical arena that I was in. And that business for me was very profitable.

So I looked at real estate and the club that, you know, Melina built in the environment, and the way that you teach, and train, and mentor other people in the same way. So I knew that if I just showed up for a long time that eventually, that would pay off and help me fulfill my objectives in life.

Dave: Interesting. Well, imagine that like willing to put in the work and the dedication, adndthe effort, and...

Melina: Yeah. It's like how do you bottle that?

Dave: Right.

Melina: Can we just, like, can we just take those words and put them in a bottle, shake it up, and like, I feel like I wanna spray it on every person that ever comes around. How do you, you know, get them there? Because what you're saying is just 100% the truth. I know it's the truth I know...and, you know, you just likened it to a completely different type of business, right?

Mark: Yeah. But that played out in my past life all the time. So when I came to New Wealth, and, you know, it takes a while, first of all, to understand what's going on, and to look around, and then to set your future plans on what you now are learning, and are going to learn and know. So it's always played out well that mindset of, "Okay, just show up first, and shut up and learn," and then follow the path what's laid out.

So in your very first podcast, Melina, you said you teach two people and they teach, too, and so on, and so on. And so I believe you. Well, you stuck me. You gave me Tim as a coach in very beginning. And that was a great thing. And I learned a lot from Tim. But Tim was in the middle of his growth period, too. And so actually where he hadn't grown yet, I learned a lot watching him grow. And so in a way very shortly after that, I started going out and just being around other students and practicing the same thing that Tim was practicing on me.

Melina: Yeah. That's so good because one of the things I say to students all the time is...and it's something I hink that's missed. And possibly Dave and I haven't spoken about it a lot or shared what our vision was from the very beginning. I think we did in the beginning, and then we maybe didn't, you know, push it as much or maybe shared it as much. But our goal has always been for the student to become the coach because that's really what happened for us. We were the student, and then at some point, we became the coach. And so people would always say, "Well, you know, what do I have to do to be a coach?" And I would always say, "Do the things that coaches do. Just duck like a coach. Like, you don't have to have the title to become a coach, and so just do the things that, you know, coaches do," which is exactly what you just said you did.

Mark: Yeah. And I believe also that since it goes down, so you and Dave have mentored Tim, and also Oscar, and I get to see both of those two people now and learn from them. And it's not just knowledge you're learning. You can sit in class all day long and learn everything you teach back-to-back. And like Dave says, you can get up there and teach it, but it really has no value because when you teach, Melina, you have application behind what you taught. You're teaching from experience and not from a book until you can learn the information, and then have that kind of mindset where you're teaching from applying the knowledge not just teaching from a book, then you become a very fluid teacher, and you benefit others in that teaching.

Dave: When you look at Mark's history, right, we always laugh because, you know, well, Mark doesn't have perfect attendance he has...the next to perfect attendance I think he could possibly get. And when we say perfect attendance, those who are listening, you know, we have monthly meetings, we have various trainings that go on as a club membership. And then inside of our partner curriculum, we have classes that are also offered in the club that are not part of that membership, but there's something that as people wanna run a business like Mark's talking about that we allow people to look at and ultimately take. And if they ever choose to invest in those classes, we allow those classes to be there indefinitely for them so long as they're a club member.

So when Mark sitting here for six years saying he's a club member, he's never paid for those classes more than once. And that was a really big deal for us in the beginning was we don't want people to pay for classes over, and over, and over, and over again because you can only pay for so much classes, right?

Melina: Right.

Dave: But if we can teach people to find real estate and then have the ability to have people in the club with resources that can go close that real estate, then more money can be made off that real estate transaction than ever could paying for seminars or classes. And Mark is one of the few people that took that to heart. I mean, he stayed a club member the whole way through. And on top of it, he's looked at the schedule because we produce a schedule at least a quarter in advance, and he's always in class.

Like, he's always there. It's like there's never, you know, I hear so many excuses from so many people like, "Well, I went to that class last month. And, you know, this month I got an invite to a baseball game and so I decided to go to that." And I'm like, "Well, is that baseball team paying you?" you know? Like, if it's gonna be a priority to run a business, that really use to be the mindset that's wasn't, "I'm gonna be in that business." And if let's say...because I know Mark. There's a couple of times, I think, if you stopped teaching, honey, and said, "I need a break," I think, I could throw Mark up on the stage and he could teach your sections.

Melina: I agree.

Dave: I think he could click through your slides and deliver the information because he's been there so much, right?

Melina: Mm-hmm.

Dave: But he doesn't say that. He shows up, and he looks to learn, he looks to connect with other students, he looks to connect with new students, he looks to be able to be a coach to those students. He's now got, you know, Tim and Oscar. And the three of them have, you know, their own conglomerate going inside their real estate business.

Melina: It's a monopoly.

Dave: I mean, yeah. So all of those things that we can't articulate that take place, those variables, those intangibles that people think somehow, "I'm just gonna come to class. If I just come to class, I check the box and, you know, I got my materials on my binder, and my PowerPoints, and I'm good to go." And instead that goes home, goes on the shelf and then...

Melina: Might as well shrink wrap it.

Dave: Yeah. And I'll come back to class when it's convenient for me," right?

Melina: Exactly.

Dave: Were there days like when he woke up, Mark, you didn't feel good and you're like, "I don't wanna go to class today."

Mark: I have actually been in class with two kidney infections. And, I think, Kathy the other day heard me shout in the bathroom, it was the first time I ever passed a kidney stone. That was a first at New Wealth. So, I mean, I'll go and I'm sick as long as I don't attack to anybody.

Melina: Wow. You passed a kidney stone at the office?

Mark: Yeah, I had the...

Dave: Did you'd battle at least?

Mark: No, I had to ask Jeff what happened because that never happened to me before. It was actually during one of our meetings. I didn't let you guys know.

Melina: Yeah. So, you know, it's interesting that, you know, I mean, I know...Well, a couple things I was gonna say about Mark, for me, is that, you know, he's become...like, you've become a safe place for me in the room, right? Like, I always look to you. Sometimes, you know, you're right, the way I teach is very fluid. So it's not like I sit back and prepare for, you know, I don't review my slides, disclaimer, and sometimes, I'm like, "What's the next slide? I don't know." But I teach from such a perspective of fluidity because I teach from experience, it's very practical, right?

Mark: Right.

Melina: And so often times, I will forget, like, you know, detailed numbers, I don't know. Like, "What code section was that?" or, you know, like very...you know. And so I'll look to Mark oftentimes like, "Is that right? Did I say that right?" And that's something that is...there's not anybody else, nobody else that I feel like...I mean, aside from like Oscar and Tim that, you know, I could look to you for confirmation or for, you know, yeah, validation of where I am.

Mark: I don't think you can learn in class everything you need to know to run your business. I view as like when you teach and others teach that, "Okay, that gives me a launching board to go out and learn that subject," because there's no way that you can in a couple hours, even as good...as well as you teach, and Dave also as well as he teaches, you can't learn those things even if you go back to class and repeat it over and over. But then you have to take that knowledge if this is your business and this is what you're going to do, and go learn that subject so that you know it now well in your mind. So I never view as...Dave can probably tell because both of you, we do all kinds of questionnaires and things at the end of class.

When I'm entered with Dave, my notes suck. And when I have to write stuff down, it just doesn't come to mind because I don't learn that way. But if you ask me, "Hey, how did that go?" I can give you a great summation, you put a piece of paper and a pencil in front of me. I never did well on test. But the way I learned, the way I believe I learn is by repeating it and then going and finding the points myself, and looking them up so it makes sense in my head.

Dave: And put the two together, yeah.

Melina: Yes. And so at some point, Tim and Oscar, you guys, you know, I think, we've done a podcast about your, you know, partnership, your relationship and how its formed over the years, you know. And at some point, you guys decided to invite Mark in to your monopoly. You wanna share a little bit about that? Like, what was your thought process and how that happened?

Oscar: Absolutely. So, you know, the first though, I was just reading a book, it's titled "The Art of War for Executives," so that's taking the art of war principles and put them into business. And what stood out and what Mark was saying is the strategic principles, which are commit, observe, and prepare, right? And I was like...

Melina: Check, check, check.

Oscar: Oh, there he is.

Melina: Yeah, absolutely.

Oscar: And that's really...Everything that he said is he's committed, he's very observant on what goes on, and what takes place, and how people conduct themselves, what they do, what they say all that. And in that process, he's preparing himself to be able to move on to that next step. Same thing he said right of being able to work with other people, and having those conversations, and developing them.

So it's clear for me now based on that on what stood out about him and why it was important for us to bring him into the group, and have him be a part of it because of the skill sets that he brings to the table, right, because he's super intelligent guy. A ton of experience from air conditioning controls, to pools, to structural things, writing properties. I mean, I just worked with you on one or two opportunities as well, right, Dave?

Dave: Yup.

Oscar: So all of that, it's like that's a no-brainer for us to bring him into the group and work together.

Tim: That's great. But for me...First of all, everything that Oscar just said, but I've had the pleasure of working with Mark since he got plugged into the club, right? I mean, he said that he was stuck with me as his coach, which I thought was really cool. I remember we went out door-knocking over by his house in Downey, and then we went door-knocking together up in the high desert. And in those initial first couple of meetings, we would always go to dinner or something after and just kind of hang out. And I learned so much about Mark just at the beginning, and I've learned so much more about him over the last six years.

But what I really got from Mark, and he'll never say things like this about himself, but in my mind, Mark had things that I needed to work in. As his coach, I was like, "Man, this guy, he's older than me. He's got way more life experience than me. He's built and closed, intentionally closed multiple businesses, you know, million-dollar businesses. This guy has done business." And for me, I came from a W-2 job. I came from a job and I learned...as I was coming through, I thought, "Okay, I need to learn real estate." Well, real estate as it was was really simple for me to pick up.

Melina: Sure.

Tim: Like, real state was simple. And I picked that up really quick.

But then what I learned was that I need to learn how to communicate with people. And in doing that, I realized, like, "Now, I need to learn how to run a business." And Mark had both of those. In my mind, Mark is somebody who I look up to in learning how to communicate. Like he has a way of communicating with him that sometimes our style...like my style of communicating it's not the same as his, but I can definitely pick skills that he use that...the way he communicates. I've taken some stuff from Mark as well. And then, of course, the way he runs his life and the way he has run business. I mean, the guy has taught me, in my mind, way more than I've ever taught him.

And when the opportunity for Oscar and I to really build a team and to look to like weaknesses, I look to Mark and said, "He's definitely got weaknesses that I have." I don't know yet if he has weaknesses that Oscar had, but he was a huge asset for me. And that's the reason why I put him on...

Melina: You said he has weaknesses. You mean, he has strengths and...

Tim: Yes, strengths where I...

Melina: Where you're weak.

Dave: ...when you're weak.

Tim: Yeah, that's right.

Melina: Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Tim: Yeah, strength where I'm weak for sure. And specifically in running a "business," you know, like, when it comes down to it, I think we have we have great conversations. We'll go out to dinner and have really great conversations, and we talk about different real estate transactions, which I feel very confident in, and I can educate Mark easily.

Melina: Sure.

Tim: And then we'll have conversations about how to run a business. And I have no idea how to run a business. I mean, inside of this team, I find myself like kind of feel like the blind leading the blind sometimes. And then I'll talk to Mark and he'll give me some insight about things that he's done in the past, businesses that over the years. I mean, that he's built up to million dollar businesses and then decided, "I'm gonna shut this business down." And, you know, again, I mean, I let Mark share more if he wants to but he will never tell people that he has done these things because he is that humble.

And it's crazy for me to see somebody who's done the things that he does actually look to me for guidance like that's...it's a different kind of person that can do all the things that he just said he does, which is sit here for six years and just observe, and then build a business from there.

Melina: Yup, yup. I agree 100%. Yeah, I think that's great. How do you feel right now, Mark? Do you feel like...do you know we're all talking about you? Was that feel like?

Mark: That's okay. Everybody talks about everybody so get used to it. That's part of life. So Tim and I are different ways, but it was really purposeful. I found out early on that if I put a steak and a beer in front of Tim that I could learn a lot from him. So that's kind of been our relationship, beer and steak...

Melina: Steak and beer?

Mark: And I learned. But, I think, if you wanna learn, you have to be able to give somebody leadership. I don't think leadership has ever taken, it's given.

To a certain extent, I am having trouble for the last year at our new business because all the businesses or all the things in my life that have been profitable for me, I had to say, I had the last say whether even if it was a 50% partnership, there is no such thing. One person always becomes dominant. One person will always have the say. And so my challenge is to sit back. I can get Tim to open up with beer and meat. Oscar is dark to me. I'm still learning how to dig inside Oscar's brain and pull out what I need to know. But in time, you learn everything.

Melina: Did you know that Oscar?

Oscar: That I'm dark?

Melina: Yeah. I mean, aside from your skin color.

Tim: Kind of ...

Oscar: No, I didn't. But I appreciate the fact that he's willing to say that and share it because obviously, it's something that we need to, or I need to work on, or whatever that looks like. The thing that stood out though is he does have this innate ability. Though he says...you know, what I heard you say was that there's less input or valuing your input right now, or you feel that way. And for me, he has this innate ability to ask questions in a way that allows you to process and arrive to where his mind is or his thought process is without him ever being forceful in saying, "I think you need to do this," right? Which, for me, that's like Leadership 101, right?

Melina: A hundred percent.

Oscar: It's not the leader that gets the things going, right? It's the one that people buy into that people, you know, it's like you guys, right? People buy into who you are, and they're gonna follow and they're gonna do what you ask them to do. He's the same way. And, I think, that's where the balance for us exists is the ability to like him, I like to observe, right? And I watch what's going on, and I learned from it, and then I become prepared through that process. So I'm watching you while you're watching me.

Melina: It's like a chess game.

Mark: I'm watching both of you.

Melina: I'm watching all of you.

Dave: Like they play chess a lot.

Oscar: No, they play chess a lot. I don't play chess.

Melina: Yeah.

Tim: Yeah, we do.

Oscar: So, yeah. No, I definitely appreciate you saying that out loud because, you know.

Melina: Well, let me clarify for you. I'm just gonna say what Mark probably didn't want to say, which is this is that Oscar is really guarded. We'll just throw that out there.

Mark: Yeah. It's hard to have Oscar to get him to open up to be able to see what led him to that conclusion, that's what I meant to say. So it's true, you chess here in any part of life. You're never playing...Or, for instance, in a real estate is what I'm trying to say, it's never about the piece of property, it's about the people on the other side, in any contract, in any conversation. In chess, you're not playing a game, you're playing a person on the other side.

Melina: That's right. Absolutely.

Mark: So it's really knowing a person in early on. I don't know if you ever heard my questions early on. I heard Dave say, "Do exactly what Oscar is saying." I do and I don't think I do it that well. But Dave can really ask questions and lead...help a person discover what is on their mind without ever putting any pressure on them. And, I think, that's something to emulate, and that's very hard to ever be able to develop that skill in life. And for me, Dave is like I look to him all the time and try to listen to your conversations, Dave, to try to emulate that because that's an art. I think that's a key in life if you can master that.

Dave: Well, thank you. Well...

Melina: I agree.

Dave: As we as we wrap up here, Mark, because you are one of the longest standing students with the highest attendance and always committed, if you could leave a little nugget at the end of this for whether this is a person that's listening to our podcast for the very first time considering this club, or even the club member that's in there now, maybe they just joined, or the club member that's, you know, been here for a few years and consistently struggle. Like, what's something you would...some piece of advice that you would give them that they could take away from and really ponder upon as we close this podcast?

Mark: Make a decision that this is going to be your business and work, and do anything it takes to make it your business, and make it profitable. And that includes going to class, learning outside of class, learning yourself, learning how to what changes you need to make in yourself to make this a business that will last you for a lifetime.

Dave: Interesting. Well, you know, that leads me to a very good conclusion, because next week, we're gonna talking about our mastermind meetings. I know you've participated in those mastermind meetings, correct?

Melina: I don't feel like he's one missed.

Mark: Right. I have. I missed a couple.

Melina: Have you?

Dave: Yeah.

Melina: Oh, okay.

Dave: Yeah. So it must a couple out of all those. So next week, we're gonna be talking about the mastermind and the mastermind personal development meetings that we have going on inside the club. So definitely stay tuned. And I think that's a very powerful one. And as we're heading toward the end of the year, I know that we're revamping and getting ready for 2018, and what that's going to look like. So stay tuned and we'll catch up with you guys in a couple weeks. So with that...

Melina: Boswells.

Dave: Flippin off.

Melina: Flippin out.

Dave: Flippin something.

Melina: Flippin off of here.

Dave: No one in particular. Bye-bye.

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